Trump has repeatedly denied meeting with any Russian officials as a candidate
Donald Trump has claimed repeatedly that he has had no contact with Russian officials as a presidential candidate.
He was lying.
Trump personally met with the Russian ambassador on April 27, 2016, prior to a major foreign policy speech. The Wall Street Journal, in a report that was little-noticed at the time but was recently picked up by AMERICABlog News, reported the meeting last year.
A few minutes before he made those remarks, Mr. Trump met at a VIP reception with Russias ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak. Mr. Trump warmly greeted Mr. Kislyak and three other foreign ambassadors who came to the reception.
Kislyak, according to multiple contemporaneous news reports, was seated in the front row. It was an invitation-only event.
A photo from AFP captures Kislyak taking his seat.
Russian ambassador Kislyak (far right) takes his seat with former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker Trump used the speech to call for warmer relations with Russia. I believe an easing of tensions, and improved relations with Russia from a position of strength only is possible, absolutely possible, Trump said. Some say the Russians wont be reasonable. I intend to find out.
Russia was pleased with his speech:

Trump has repeatedly insisted that neither he nor anyone on his campaign was in contact with Russia during the election.
Russia is a ruse. I have nothing to do with Russia. Havent made a phone call to Russia in years. Dont speak to people from Russia, Trump said during a February 16 press conference. He said he contacts with Russia were limited to talking twice to Vladimir Putin after election day.
On February 20, Trump spokesperson Sarah Sanders flatly declared that the Trump campaign had no contacts with Russia.
Weve since learned that at least four members of the Trump campaign Jeff Sessions, Michael Flynn, Carter Page, and J.D. Gordon talked with Russian officials during the campaign.
Sessions, now the Attorney General, recused himself from any investigation of the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia after he falsely told the Judiciary Committee he had not met with any Russian officials.
Trumps own meeting with Kislyak raises further questions about the nature of the Trump campaigns relationship with Russia and why the Trump administration wont come clean about the extent of their contacts.
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